


Faction before Blood

by Veryconfuzzled



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Divergent, F/F, F/M, Fluff, M/M, More tags coming when I update, Pining, Slow Burn, a couple of oc's, cake!!, idk how to tag so
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-08-21
Packaged: 2018-12-09 22:01:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11677941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Veryconfuzzled/pseuds/Veryconfuzzled
Summary: Basically Hamilton and the crew in a Divergent AU





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> HII!! *waves*
> 
> First few chapters are really boring in my opinion, they basically follow the canon plot of Divergent, but I think it gets better once Alex gets to the Dauntless compound.. (At least I hope it does?)  
> Also, tons of references to the book so like..
> 
> Updates: At least 3 chapters every week. 
> 
> Please criticize me in the comments, I seriously need to improve my writing skills.  
> (Spelling, grammar, style, pacing, etc.)
> 
> Thanks!! *shuffles away awkwardly*

 

Alex was excited. He was taking the aptitude test today; the test that would majorly affect the decisions he would be making, his lifestyle, and the rest of his future. It decided what faction he had to be in. Well, not exactly "had to." It more or less showed him what faction he was best suited for.

He didn't _have to_ choose to join the faction he got, but the results usually had a pretty large influence on people's choices.

 

He took a look his mom and dad sitting on the kitchen table before he left. Then at Charlie.   
He sighed. These were the moments he felt guilty for wanting to leave them. He shook his head and entered the bus.

 

The bus reeked of exhaust. Every time it passed a patch of uneven pavement, the vehicle shuddered and jolted around, causing Alex to grip the edge of his seat to keep from falling off. His brother, Charlie, was standing up, holding one of the bars to steady himself. Alex could see beads of sweat drip from his brother's forehead as he tried to keep his balance. He gazed at him with sympathy.   
Charlie just shrugged in response.

The next stop brought a man in black and white suit in.  _Candor_ Alex thought, recognizing the colors. People from the Candor faction valued truthfulness over all other traits —opting to believe that truth was either black or white, hence the color of their clothes.  
Alex looked down at what he was wearing, wincing as he saw the baggy attire.   
Abnegation clothes were a gray drab, the faction preferring simplistic functionality over style.  _It wouldn't be too hard to add a bit of color though?_

He was shaken out of his thoughts by the coughing of the man in the Candor suit. He looked up and saw the man looking at him expectantly.  _He expects me to give him my seat_ Alex realized.  _Um, Fuck no._  
Alex looked up at the man, stubbornly refusing to budge.

His brother rolled his eyes, "Give the seat up, Alex", Charlie said to him pointedly. He grumbled, and with a flourish presented the seat dramatically to the man before standing up. The man adjusted his tie, stared at him smugly, then gave a contented huff before sitting down. The action made Alex roll his eyes.

" _Prick"_ he thought. The people in the bus stared at him and Alex realized he had said it out loud.

"Oops" he added before silently scolding himself ; gripping one of the bus's holding bars as the vehicle jumped up on a bump in the road. He refused to look at Charlie, feeling his disappointed gaze on his back.

You see, this was one of the many reasons Alex didn't belong in Abnegation, the faction where all were selfless, polite, and dedicated. Don't get him wrong—he had nothing against being a public servant,  helping others, feeding the factionless and etc. but it just  wasn't  _him._ While selflessness came easily to Charlie, it just didn't come naturally for Alex.

He was contemplating on whether he should apologize or not when the bus reached its stop. Stepping off and walking towards the school, he stopped in his tracks, taking in the sight for the last time. The school was made of glass and steel and was one of the only places where the factions mixed at a young age. The hallways were cramped, but the light that came in through the windows created the illusion of space. In front of the school was a large metal sculpture surrounded by a circle of grass and a sign with all the faction's symbols engraved on it.

  
He rushed to the E wing and checked his watch: 7:24 it read. A _ny minute now._ Sure enough, soon he heard the rumbles of the train tracks and the cheers and laughter following it. One by one the train doors opened and the Dauntless students came through, jumping off the moving train before rolling off unto the asphalt. Alex grinned to himself,  _one day he would join them._

His daydreaming of what it would be like in the Dauntless faction was interrupted by Charlie as he elbowed Alex in the gut to get his attention. "Aptitude tests today," he said somewhat gravely.   
Alex nodded. Classes were going to be cut in half today to make way for the aptitude tests which would take place after lunch.

They walked through the front doors. Unlike most people, Alex wasn't nervous or scared of the tests, he already knew which faction he would be choosing regardless of the results.

"Earth to Alex, you're not Dauntless yet." Charlie chuckled. He fixed Alex with a knowing look before walking off and Alex felt a mild pang of guilt in his stomach, before he looked away.

Alex was going to leave Abnegation; and his brother knew that. It meant that Charlie was morally obligated to stay in Abnegation with his parents.

 _Not that that would be a problem for him though_ Alex thought. Charlie was the model Abnegation through and through, always ready to serve when needed, and selfless beyond measure.


	2. Chapter 2

Classes passed quickly, and soon enough, Alex heard the school bell ring. It was time for lunch.

Students rushed out of the classrooms, heading towards the cafeteria. Alex walked to the table he sat at everyday, arriving before anyone else. Lunch was a boring occasion. People from Abnegation sat together, eating on a large table at the back of the room that was mostly hidden out of sight.  Everyone ate quietly and kept to themselves. Usually, Alex would try challenging the system by making bold speeches that would annoy the hell out of everyone; but today was different.

Today he contemplated what faction he would be classified into.  _Was he genetically predisposed to be part of Abnegation, Candor, Amity, Erudite or Dauntless?_  
He would choose Dauntless regardless of the results but he  _was_ still curious..

He reckoned he could maybe be a Candor. Not because he always told the truth, ( _In fact, he found that he could lie pretty easily?)_ But in the way where they had absolutely no filter when it came to expressing their opinions. Alex had gotten in trouble for that too many times to count.

He definitely thought he was a Dauntless. He had always thought they were amazing.  _Brave, spirited, fearless, and free. Words that Alex aspired to be._ Some people thought that Dauntless were crazy, which they kind of were.

His companions had started to rise up. It was time for the Aptitude Tests.

\-------------------------------------------------------  
The atmosphere was tense when Alex stepped into the large waiting room. He looked around until he found Charlie, then caught his eye and went up to him. They sat down together on one of the benches and waited for their turn.

Charlie got called in first. Alex observed the people around him. People from Amity were in a circle playing a hand-slapping game while singing, them erupting in cheers and consolations every time someone was eliminated. Candor was having a heated debate about the moral ethics of using some serum. The Erudite were studying, comparing notes. Dauntless were daring each other to do stunts, and their rowdy laughter could be heard all through the hall. The Abnegation were just sitting there.  _Ugh, they were so fucking boring._

He found it somewhat ridiculous how none of the factions were interacting with each other. Apparently it was frowned upon. That sucked. He would have loved to befriend some of the people from the other factions.

Charlie finally walked out of the testing room. His face was pasty-white and his hands and arms were trembling.   
"Are you okay, what happened?"Alex asked  
Charlie just shook his head sadly and sat down.   
 _Of course,_ Alex almost forgot.  _He wasn't supposed to ask about the results, and Charlie wasn't allowed to tell him._

"Alexander Hamilton." His name was called and he made his way into the testing room.  _What happened to Charlie?_ he asked himself.

He stepped through the door. The room had bare, off-white walls, and had a reclined leather seat smack in the middle of it. Tons of wires connected the chair to a complicated looking machine with a rectangular screen.

A man in a beanie and a leather jacket was sitting in front of the contraption, pushing buttons. Dauntless, Alex guessed, judging from his clothes, tattoos and piercings.    
Alex took a deep breath, "Hello sir, I'm Alexander Hamilton and-"   
"Ah yes, Hello, do take a seat,"  the man interrupted, "The name's Hercules, but you can call me Herc"

Alex shrugged and sat down, letting the man–Herc– clip wires on his temples, chest, and fingers.

Alex noticed one of his tattoos. It was a budding flower. Alex was curious, the tattoo didn't quite match with Herc's theme. He was broad and muscled. The flower tattooed on his arm didn't fit the tough guy vibe.

Before Alex could stop himself, he blurted out "Why the flower?"

Hercules looked confused. "What?" he asked.

"Your tattoo," Alex tried to explain, "What does it stand for?" 

"Never met a curious Abnegation before," Herc smirked.

Alex flushed, turning red. Herc noticed and chuckled.  "I was going through a tough time when I got it. A budding flower symbolizes hope, so I got it to remind myself to never lose it. Not to lose hope, I mean. Not the flower."

Alex nodded, satisfied with his answer.   
Herc brought out a vial of clear blue liquid and offered it to him. "Drink."

He tried to stop himself from asking more questions.  _Lol, Fail._  "What's in this and what does it do?" He asked.

Herc looked amused. "I don't know, and if I did, I'm not supposed to tell you. Now drink up."

Alex took the vial and stared at it suspiciously.   
He downed it all in one shot. It left his throat feeling swollen.   
Alex looked questioningly at Herc.   
Herc shrugged and smiled sheepishly.   
Alex felt his eyes close...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit Chapter but I need to get these parts out of the way first.


	3. The Aptitude Test

Alex's eyes flew open, and he immediately took in his surroundings. The room he was in had mirrors for walls. Alex could see every move he made. Confused, he rubbed his eyes. "Hello?" he asked softly. His voice bounced off the mirrors and echoed back at him.

He carefully stood up, and the seat reclined, folding down into the floor. Subsequently, platforms rose from the ground in front of him, each of them holding up a different object. There was a block of cheese, and a knife.  
Alex knew he was supposed to choose one, but he was puzzled.  _What were they for?_

As if the room had heard his thoughts, one of the walls behind him retracted then turned. It brought out a dog; this one was obviously not domesticated,  _It was wild_. Its fur was a pasty white, speckled with black and brown spots. The dog growled angrily. It started towards him, snarling and gnashing its teeth.  _Shit._ Alex thought, then  _Ah. So that's what the cheese and knife were for._

He looked behind him, only to find that the platforms had disappeared.  _Fuck._ He frantically looked around the room, hoping to find something,  _anything,_  to help him deal with the creature in front of him.

The dog edged closer. Alex gulped. He felt like like he was about to pass out, and the floor seemed to sway around his feet.  _This is just a simulation. Focus._ He heard his voice inside him say.  _Think. What would you do?_  
Alex took a deep breath. He tried to remember any piece of information that would help him in this situation.  _Dogs._  
 _"Dogs smell fear because of a chemical secreted by the human glands, in a state of duress. The same chemical a dog's prey secretes."_  
He remembers the information from an essay he wrote once. He had gone 20 pages over the limit, but there was so much about the topic that needed to be said! The teacher took away 5% of his grade as consequence though.  _The little shit._

 ****The dog growled, breaking him away from his thoughts. _Oh right, we have a problem,_ He remembers.   
Okay so ** _Smelling fear leads them to attack._** _That meant he couldn't move. couldn't fight._  
Alex pondered,  _what else did he know about dogs?_ He ran his hands through his hair, "Don't look him in the eye," he said to himself.  _That was a sign of aggression._ So if looking in the eyes of the dog was a sign of aggression, what was one of submission?   
Alex shuddered, the realization of what he had to do washing over him. He knelt down in front of the dog, bringing him face to face with the creature. He bowed his head down, only seeing its paws; then he stretched his knees, and leaned on his elbows. Alex shut his eyes. He could smell the dog's foul breath as it crept closer and closer.

Suddenly, he felt something wet lick his cheek. He carefully opened his eyes. The dog was licking his face, and it's expression visibly softened as it pawed at him."Huh." He adjusted his position to accommodate the dog trying to crawl into his lap. "Not such a vicious beast now, are you?" Alex laughed and started petting the creature.  _He was glad he didn't take the knife._

The door flew open and young girl suddenly came into the room. She was wearing a white flowy dress, and skipped towards Alex. "Puppy!" she exclaimed, grabbing towards the dog. Alex moved to warn her but it was too late. He felt the animal tense up and bend its hind legs, ready to attack. Alex had no time to think. He threw himself at the dog as it pounced, the girl's scream echoing across the room. When he hit the floor, the sound of the dog's pained howl pierced the room.  _Shit._

When Alex rose from the floor, the girl and the dog were gone. He was now in the middle of a desolated street. His limbs were heavy and everything around him looked foggy. He heard some shuffling to his left, and he turned. He saw two people, a mother and a son, behind a bush.  _Hiding._ A man stumbled into the street. He had matted hair, and he was wearing an assortment of clothes from different factions. His eyes were bloodshot and had a sort of crazed look to them.  _Factionless._ He realized. The woman and the child cowered behind the bush. The man chuckled, "Come out, come out, wherever you are."

  Alex turned and the woman caught his eye. "Give me the gun," she whispered. Alex frowned and saw the gun on the floor.  _Ah._  
To give the weapon to the woman, he would have to risk the man seeing him. That would endanger his life. Alex contemplated for a bit before he sighed and picked the gun up slowly.

Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, he saw the man charge towards the bush.  _Shit, he found them._ He quickly raised the gun and–  
BANG!  
He shot the man in the chest.   
He flinched at the sound, his ears ringing. The man's eyes widened in surprise, and his face contorted into a surprised expression before he fell.

Alex stumbled backwards.   
He looked towards the woman and saw blood spilling from her blouse.  _Oh wow._ The top was soaked, and judging from how some of the blood had already slightly browned, Alex figured that she had been stabbed, most probably around ten minutes ago. He rushed towards the woman; she was shuddering, and soon fell to her knees.   
He looked at the woman again and her eyes had turned glassy.   
"Tell me what can I do?" Alex asked her. His eyes trailed down to the wound. The knife had lodged itself in her stomach. "Should I remove the knife?"  
The woman didn't reply so Alex wrenched the object out of her.   
She gasped, and let out a bloodcurdling cry.  _She was in so much pain_  
"M-My son," the woman finally said, "I-is he alive?"   
Alex turned and saw the son load a gun, and point it at Alex's head.   
"Tell her I'm dead, or I'll kill you." he mouthed.  
Alex was so confused.  _What? Why the fuck was this happening?_  
The boy looked at him challengingly, threatening him by shaking the gun slightly.   
 _Okay fine he would lie._  
He looked at the woman. Her eyes were full of hope, begging him to say the words he knew she wanted to hear.   
It hit him, the woman would die soon and would only be brought peace by the knowledge that her son was alive.  
Alex sighed.  _Well then._  
"Your..Your son's not dead."  
BANG!   
Alex felt a second of searing pain then saw a blinding flash of white when he was shot in the head.

                                        ~

He awoke, gasping for air. He could feel the sweat from his arms  sticking him to the leather seat.   
Looking up, he saw Hercules, his mouth slightly hanging open and his eyebrows raised in alarm. There was also a hint of what looked like pain intermingling with the shocked look on his eyes.

"What the fuck man?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY, I KNOW THE SECOND SCENE OF THE APTITUDE TEST WAS INCREDIBLY UNREALISTIC BUT BLAME HERC FOR THAT. 
> 
> Also, do you want this to be a Lams or Jamilton fic?


	4. Divergent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short one today, then Choosing day tomorrow, then we get to the fun stuff next week!! :))

  
**Alex POV**

"What the fuck man?" I shout at Herc.

Herc looked shaken. He took two deep breaths before finally speaking.  
"That," he says, "was perplexing.."

 _Perplexing_?  
I open my mouth to fire back a retort when Herc mutters "I'll be back," and shuts  the door.

 _Okay.._ Something must've went wrong with the test, I reason to myself, but wait no _that's highly unlikely_ because _weren't these tests like infailable?_  
_Shit, what have I done?_

 

I bury my face in my knees as I curl up against the seat. I wish I felt like crying. That would probably be a better form of release than my urge to sucker punch everyone in the face. It's an urge that's getting stronger and stronger every second. I ball up my fists and try to supress my anger by taking deep breaths. _Why was this happening to me? How could I have failed a test I wasn't allowed to prepare for?_

Moments pass. I wipe my hands on my pants every so often to keep me from pacing around. What if they say that I'm not cut out for any of the factions? I-I _cant_ be factionless.  
No, that _won't_ happen to me. I refuse to entertain these kinds of thoughts. _Fuck no._  
I'm gnawing at my cheek when Herc comes back. He opens the door and I grip the leather arm-rests of the chair.

 

"Sorry for worrying you." He had his hands in his pockets, and his face was tense and pale. He cuts to the chase. "Alex, your results were inconclusive," he says, "Usually, the tests eliminate one or more of the factions as each stage progresses, but in your case, it worked differently."

"If you had shown automatic distaste for the knife and immediately chose the cheese, it would have led you to a different scenario which would have confirmed your aptitude for Amity. That didn't happen, so Amity is out."

Herc scratched his head. "Your simulation test didn't even allow the program to cancel out Candor so I had to alter the simulation while I programmed it myself,"  
Herc flushed slightly, "Sorry for it being so unrealistic by the way. I'm quite rusty at programming, I haven't done it for a while." He trailed off and cleared his throat. "You told the truth to the woman, so that says Candor, but you did it even though your life was in danger. That also says selflessnes. So Abnegation."  
"Which gives us a problem. Your choice to throw yourself at the dog to keep the little girl from getting hurt was an Abnegation-oriented response, but it was also a Dauntless one.

"You see, you didn't choose the knife, and that should have immediately ruled out Dauntless, but you also shot the man which would usually mean that you qualified."  
He took a breath. "Your intelligent response to the dog suggests a strong alignment with the Erudite. I have no idea what to make of your indecision in stage one but—"

"Wait," I interrupt him. "So you have no idea what my aptitude is."  
"Yes and no. My conclusion," he explains, "is that you display equal amounts of aptitude for the following factions."

"Dauntless."  
_"Fuck yeah"_  
"Candor."  
_I did consider it._  
"Abnegation."  
_Well, maybe I'm not such a terrible person after all._  
"And Erudite." He finished.  
_Ah this one's a surprise._

His gruff voice wavered. "People who get these kinds of results are..." he looks over his shoulder as if he expects someone to burst through the door, "They-they're called _Divergent_.."  
He says the last word so softly, I almost don't catch it.  
"I take that you're smart enough to know that you're not supposed to tell people about your results. Divergence is extremely dangerous Alex. Under no circumstances are you to share that information with anyone."

I nod. _How could inconclusive test results be dangerous?_ I wonder.

"I'm going to manually enter your results in so Dauntless," he smashes on the keypad, "is what you got if anyone asks. Understood?" He asks.

"Okay." I grimace and rise up from chair. I stretch, then start towards the exit.  
Herc looks genuinely worried for me. He pats my back reassuringly and holds the door open. I thank him and leave. I refuse to look at him in the eye.

I see Charlie. He looks more composed now, but he still has that tense vibe around him. We walk home. Both of us lost in deep thought.  
_Thud_.  
_Thud._  
What was with Charlie? I thought. What happened to him in the testing room?  
_Maybe.. What if he was Divergent?!?_ I think excitedly. That would certainly explain his behavior. I rack my brain for ideas on how to subtly find out if he was like me.   
I mean I couldn't exactly go "Hey Charlie, my man, any chance you're Divergent?"  
He'd look at me like I was stupid, and I'm not stupid. So no. Not gonna do it like that.  
We reach home before I can think of an appropriate question.

 

We were greeted by the sight of mom preparing dinner. By habit, Charlie and I immediately stepped into action; I set the table, and Charlie started sweeping the floor. We finished our chores just in time for dinner. The routine was like clockwork, it happened every single day.

Dad came home later than usual. "Erudite foolishness." was his reply when mom asked him why. He ranted about how "the faction changed their values" and about "how they made a mess of the meeting earlier" until he was red in the face. Connections between Abnegation and Erudite were tense. The Erudite had been accusing the Abnegation of hoarding food and supplies, which ofcourse was so untrue, it made Alex scoff just from the thought of it.  
He had aptitude for Erudite, but he would never choose the faction. He wasn't a traitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3 for Jamilton and 3 for Lams so far so like comment down which one you want!!
> 
> THANKS FOR READING HONESTLY!! <3


	5. Choosing Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHOOSING DAY HAS COME!!! (also, I got some of the descriptions from the book so like haha.) I didn't read through this so sorry if there are any errors!!

The bus ride on the way to the Choosing Ceremony is quiet. Mother is squeezing my hand tightly, almost as if savoring the remaining time I have left with her. She knows I won't choose Abnegation. She's known that for a while.

I try to flash her a grin, but it fails and turns into a grimace. Charlie seemed calm. He knew which faction he would be choosing. Sighing in relief, I give him a small smile and the bus stops. I was safe in the knowledge that my brother would be there to soften the blow another and Father would feel when I left them.

I follow my parents off the bus and into the building. My heart is pounding and thrashing in my chest. I grip Charlie's hand to steady myself as I walk up the front steps.

The elevator is crowded, so father volunteers to give a cluster of Amity our place. I internally groan. We take the stairs instead, following him unquestioningly. We set an example for our fellow faction members, and soon the three of us are engulfed in the mass of gray fabric ascending cement stairs in the half light. I settle into their pace. The uniform pounding of feet in my ears and the homogeneity of the people around me reinforces the fact that I would never choose this. _No way._ I wouldn't survive if I had to be subsumed into Abnegation's hive mind, projecting always outward.

  
My legs grow sore quickly and I struggle to breathe. _Why, why must you do this to me father?_ I scream at him inside my head. We have to climb 20 flights of stairs to get to the Choosing Ceremony. My father reaches the door first. He holds it open, standing like a sentry. I would have waited for him, but the swarm of Abnegation presses me forward, out of the stairwell and into the room where I will decide the rest of my life.

Chatter fills the room with sound. The seats are arranged in concentric circles. On the edges sit the sixteen year olds of every faction. We are not called members yet; our decisions today will make us initiates and we become members of the faction when we complete initiation.

We arrange ourselves in alphabetical order. _Alexander Hamilton._ I stand beside Charlie and a girl from Amity wearing a red and yellow frock.  
Rows of seats for the families make up the outer circles. They are arranged according to faction.

This year's speaker is from Abnegation. I recognize him as a friend of my father, one who joined us for dinner once. I can't remember his name, but he looks big and buff so I name him "Biff" inside my head. I combine buff with the word "Stiff," a slang word people from other factions use to call people from Abnegation.

Biff stands quietly in the middle of the circle, waiting to give his speech.  
He stands in front of the five metal bowls. The bowls are so big, I could probably fit in them if I curled up. Then again, I _am really scrawny._  
Each one contains a substance that represents each faction. Gray stones for Abnegation, water for Erudite, earthy soil for Amity, lit coals for Dauntless, and glass for Candor.  
When he calls my name, I will walk down to the centre of the circles. I will not speak. I will take the knife, slice my hand open, and drop my blood on the bowl of the faction I choose.  
My blood on the sizzling coals.

Before we sit down, our parents stand in front of Charlie and me. My father hugs me tightly, and my mother kisses me on the forehead. Us three share a look of unspoken understanding. They know that this is goodbye. I nod at them grimly, and they move on to Charlie.  
My father grins and claps Charlie on the back. "See you soon!" he says without a trace of doubt.

When our parents leave, Charlie suddenly grips my hand, squeezing my palm so tightly, it hurts. His eyes are tinged with sadness, and he gives me a small smile. "Alexander," he says, "We must think of our family." There is an edge to his voice. "But. But we must also think of ourselves."  
I give him a surprised look. _I have never seen him think of himself, never heard him insist on anything but selflessness._  
I am suddenly hit with understanding.

He was trying to help me work through my guilt, trying to make me feel better about leaving him with our parents. My heart fills up with love for my brother. _Oh Charlie,_ I think, _Always so fucking nice and selfless._

The room quiets down. I try to thank him with a look, but he just scrunches his eyebrows. I don't let go of his hand, we brothers need each other's strength now.

Biff stands at the Podium between Dauntless and Erudite. He clears his throat into the microphone.  
"Welcome," he says, "Welcome to the Choosing Ceremony."  
He goes on and drawls out the same yearly speech everyone who is speaker gives, and I sink into my seat. Since I turned 12, I have been to almost every Choosing Ceremony; the reason being the fact that my father was an Abnegation leader.  
I have listened to this speech so many times, that I start mouthing the words along with Biff.  
My heart stops for a second when I realize that this wasn't like any other Choosing Ceremony I've been to. This one was mine.

I tune Biff out and look in the direction of the metal bowls. I stare at them.

I see the Amity's first.  
I tilt my head. Every time I looked at the faction's members, they seemed kind, loving, and free.  
Those were wonderful traits really, but joining them has never been an option for me.

I move on to the bowl beside it. _Erudite._  
I scowl, remembering what my father said last night. Erudite would be the last faction I would choose to be in. Ruling it out was the easiest choice I've ever made.

My gaze drifts to the Candor one.  
_I've always liked Candor,_ I realize.  
The way they spoke so freely, the strong arguments they always had in debate, and their innate confidence basically. I would have been part of Candor in another life.

Abnegation.  
I look at the bowl fondly, I really did agree with the faction's values; selflessness _was_ an important trait. I just couldn't bear to be quiet and unseen my whole life, always in the background and serving others.

I didn't need to look at the Dauntless bowl.  
My feelings toward the faction were crystal clear.

I tune in into what Biff was saying, the speech was about to end, he had just finished reading what roles each faction had in our community. He continues, "But the reach of each faction is not only limited to these areas. We give each other far more than can be adequately summarized."  
He pauses for effect. "In our faction, we find meaning, we find purpose, we find life."

Thunderous applause erupts from around the podium.  
I think about the motto I read in my Faction History textbook. "Faction before Blood," it said.  
I ponder. More than family, our factions are where we belong. _Can that possibly be right?_

The applause dies down and Biff adds, "Apart from them, we would not survive."

The silence that follows is heavy with our worst fear, greater than even the fear of death.  
_It is the fear of being factionless._

Marcus takes advantage of the silence and starts reading out the fist few names. A small rumble of whispers sweep through the crowd.

Moments pass and It's the same thing over and over again. The room never stops moving.  
A name is called.  
A new person is choosing.  
A new knife is drawn.  
A new choice is made.

"Nathaniel Greene," Biff calls out.  
A lean figure from the Dauntless stumbles out into the podium. He falls on his face before he reaches Marcus. Turning red, he tries to save face by trying to fix his hair.

He coughs and pulls his knife out. He drops his blood on the earthy soil. _Amity._  
Disapproving murmurs erupt from the Dauntless section and I stare at the floor.  
Dauntless will see him as a traitor now. His family will have the option to see him during Visiting Day but they won't because he left them. His absence will haunt the hallways and he will be a hole they can't fill. And then time will pass, and the hole will be gone. His family will move on. He will remain a painful memory in their minds.

"Charlie Hamilton," Biff says.  
Charlie squeezes my hand one last time, casts a long look at me over his shoulder, and walks down to the podium.  
My brother stops and Biff hands him the knife.  
Drops of sweat pour down Charlie's face as he brings the blade across his palm.  
He breaths in.  
He breathes out.  
He holds his hand over the Erudite bowl and drops his blood into the water, turning it a deeper shade of red.

I hear mutters lifting into outraged cries. I can barely think straight. My brother, my selfless _as fuck_ brother, a faction transfer?  
My brother, born for Abnegation, a fucking Erudite?  
The floor sways beneath my feet and I feel bile rise up to my throat.  
_Oh._  
I close my eyes and see him freaking out over the Aptitude test. How stupid was I to think that he would be Divergent? How, how did I not realize that when he told me to think of myself earlier, he was also giving the same advice to himself?

My eyes scan the room. The Erudite leaders were smiling smugly and whispering excitedly to each other. My father was a government official. The fact that his eldest son would leave his faction was a scandal. This was free ammunition for the enemies.  
Abnegation, usually so quiet and placid, speak to each other in tense whispers, sending venomous glares to the Erudite.

"Excuse me!" Biff's face is pasty-white as he tries to quiet the crowd. _He knows what this means for Abnegation._  
"Quiet Please!" Biff's voice rings throughout the podium.  
The room falls silent.

Charlie is already with the Erudite, and they clap his back, giving him grins.

"Alexander Hamilton," my name is called out, and I see Charlie nod at me gravely.

"No!" I choke out. People turned their heads and look at me, hearing my outburst.

I find my parent's faces in the crowd. I catch their eyes; Mom's face was ashen, and Dad's eyes were wide, aghast at the betrayal.  
It was painful to see them.  
I look at them too long a second. _Wrong move._ Their eyes widen, daring to hope that maybe one of their sons wouldn't leave them. Their hands are trembling. I can see the pain and desperation intermingling with the tiny sliver of hope in their eyes. _Shit._

I slowly walk to the podium. _"Damn_ _you_ _Charlie,"_ I whisper to myself. _I can't leave my parents alone, I can't do this to the faction._  
I take the knife from Biff.  
My eyes find Charlie's one last time. He sees he look in my eyes and shakes his head. _He's telling me to leave our parents behind. I realize._ A shudder passes through me when I draw the knife against my palm. I hesitate for a few seconds before holding my hand up between the two bowls. _"Damn you Charlie."_ I quietly say again.  
All eyes are on me when I move my hand slightly to the right and let my blood drip unto the sizzling coals. _I am selfish. I am brave._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyheyhey!!! This is the last chapter that completely follows Canon Divergent plot!! Also, this is your last chance to vote, so like Lams or Jamilton? Bc they meet next chapter sooo ;) 
> 
> THANKS FOR READING!!! <3
> 
> Please leave a comment, I am a desperate person haha.


	6. Dauntless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: Ugh so what if school's starting, that won't affect me.
> 
> Also me: ooOPs school started early, let's not update for like 2 and a half weeks ^_^
> 
> *will be updating twice a week tho I promise*

There is a ringing in my ears when I walk to join the Dauntless. They give the usual greeting, clapping and shouting. Blocking out all sound and shutting my eyes, I sit down, ignoring all the stares that come my way.

The rest of the ceremony passes in a blur, and soon, I hear Biff give the closing speech and take a bow. Polite applause fills the room.   
The Choosing Ceremony is done.   
I see the Dauntless rising up. We're leaving.

I stand with them, and before we leave, I sneak a glance at my parents, wanting to see their faces one last time.  
While mom's expression remained neutral, Dad's face wore an array of emotions. There was sadness, anger, and betrayal. I accidentally catch his eye and there is overwhelming fury in his gaze. I must've looked scared as fuck, because his expression softened slightly, and he gave me a resigned nod.

The crowd presses me forward, away from the Choosing Room. I came in an Abnegation, and now I leave as a Dauntless.

Cheers erupt from the faction when we reach the stairs. I rush after them, and soon we are sprinting, screams and laughter surrounding me as we run down the steps.   
"The fuck?" I hear someone say beside me.  
I laugh and we continue running down, not stopping when we reach the exit.   
The doors fly open.   
The air outside is crisp and cool; sunlight pierces my eyes so I raise my hand to shade myself. My lungs burn and my legs ache, but I am smiling as the wind makes my hair fly behind me.

We run until we reach an expanse of land. Struggling to catch my breath, I hear a familiar sound. The blaring of a train.   
A soft mutter asks beside me. "Do they expect us to jump onto that thing?"   
"Yes." I say breathlessly. The crowd spreads into a line, and we start to jog, running alongside the vehicle. It glides along the rails, its lights flashing. The Dauntless born initiates start to pile into the carriages and soon only the faction transfers are left.

Jogging, I run alongside the second to last car and throw myself sideways. I miss the opening by a few centimeters and panic fills my chest. _Shit_. I manage to grab a handhold, but I know Im going to fall anytime soon. Suddenly, a hand reaches out of the carriage and pulls me in.   
I roll unto the floor, gasping for air.

I slowly bring myself to a crouch, wanting to thank my savior. He is sitting against the wall of the train, a mass of brown, curly hair covering his face. His chest rises and falls.  
I flash him a grin.   
"Thanks man!" I say.

He looks up and _Freckles_.   
That's the first thing I notice about him. His pale face and arms are littered with them, and dark eyelashes framed light brown eyes. _Pretty._. I think. His eyebrows rise up and he gives me a smile of amusement. "Okay, um thanks.. I guess?"  
My face quickly heats up. _Shit. Fucking hell, you said it out loud._ I struggle to find words to explain myself, sputtering.

He notices my discomfort and laughs, "It's okay man, you're cute too. The name's John Laurens. You can call me John."  
He raises his hand for a handshake, the Dauntless way of greeting. My heart flutters at the compliment. _Dammit Alex, can this get any more cliché? You've known him like 60 seconds._   
  
I return the gesture and say "Hamilton. Alexander Hamilton."

His smile grows wider if that's even possible.   
"Do you know where we're going?" He has to shout over the sound of the wind. The train is speeding up.

I sit beside him and he inches closer towards me. "Dauntless Headquarters probably," I say, "but I have no idea where that is."

"Does anyone though?"

I shrug in reply. "It's like they just dropped down from the sky or something."

A strong gust of wind blows through and three faction transfers topple over each other. He laughs, and shouts "A fast train means wind. Wind means falling down. Get down you idiots."

They comply and shout him thanks. He shoots finger guns at them in response.  
I jokingly roll my eyes at him and he winks back. _Fuck_.

We talk for the duration of the trip and I find out that he's from Candor, has 4 siblings, and got into fighting  a lot at school, hence his interest in Dauntless. After a bit of prodding, I find that he thinks that the feud between Abnegation and Erudite is stupid, but he thinks that Abnegation is in the right.   
"Lack of evidence." he reasons.

My stomach churns as I realize that my parents will be alone for the rest of their lives. It's Charlie's turn to make dinner tonight. Which one of them will take his place? Will they eat at all?

The thought makes me sick, what a good actor he was. He had us all fooled. At least everyone knew I wasn't selfless. At least they all knew I was going to leave.

"Are you okay Alex?" John is looking at me worriedly, "You look like you're about to puke."   
The realization makes him shift away, cringing.

I was never good at hiding my emotions. I unsuccessfully try to school my features back into a smile, but it turns into a grimace.   
"Yeah I'm fine," I say, "Just... Thinking.."

John nods in understanding, and soon we hear shouts from other cars. Thoughts of my family automatically leave my head as I notice the tense and frenzied vibe in the air.

"They're jumping off!" someone shouts. Quickly standing up, I see that she's right, the Dauntless in the cars ahead of us are jumping off as the train passes a rooftop.   
The tracks are 7 stories high. I gulp, the idea of jumping off a train and landing on a roof when there is a reasonably sized gap in between makes me shake slightly. I push myself off the wall and join the other faction transfers in a line facing the doors.

"We're gonna have to jump off." A girl from Erudite says. She has a large nose, but she has pretty hair that fades from brown to blonde.

"Yeah, sure, cause that makes total fucking sense doesn't it Josy," an Erudite boy replies, "leaping off a train?"

"Oh my god, you're so stupid, that's what we signed up to do Reynolds." she points out.

A pasty faced boy beside me runs his hands through his hair, he is trembling.   
"No," he says, "I'm not doing this." He looks around for people who would agree with him.

We stare at him unblinkingly, not moving a muscle. His eyes widen in surprise, "You guys wont seriously," he chokes, and he flails his arms around.   
"No, I can't do this."  
He sounds panicky, and his eyes flit from the rooftop to the doors, trying to see if there is any other way out of this.

John reaches his hand out, trying to reason with him. "Come on, it'll be alright. You have to, you'll be factionless if you don't."

"I'd rather be factionless than dead!" He screams out, turning back and curling up against the wall. John gulps, and tries to try again, but I put my hand on his arm.   
"Leave him," I whisper.  
He stares at me, eyes blown wide with betrayal before looking back at the boy. He was now rocking, whispering the mantra over and over again. John, realizing that nothing he could do would make him listen shuddered and turned his gaze back towards the doors.

Ater a few seconds, we see the the roof quickly approaching. The wind blows our hair in our faces, so I tie mine up.  
John suddenly holds his hand out to me, palms facing outward.   
I stare at him in confusion. He flushes, "I just.. I don't think I can do it if someone doesn't drag me."

I nod and I slowly take his hand, it's soft, and I feel my cheeks quickly flare up. "Jump on three?" he asks.  
I nod, and he starts counting.   
"One..two.. _three!_ "  
We launch off the train car. I feel weightless for a second, and my feet slam down on the concrete. Pain shoots up my legs. My shins are throbbing, and I let go of John's hand. He's laughing, "That was fun!" he says. I join him, soon enough, we're doubling over, giggling, the sudden adrenaline rush leaving our minds not quite right. We'll fit in well with the Dauntless thrill seekers, I decide.

I brush off some rocks from my knees and look around. The Erudite girl with the pretty hair, Josy, is wincing, rubbing her ankles softly, while Reynolds is holding a bloodied nose.

I stifle another laugh, and I'm reaching over to John to show him when I hear a wail. "Rita, Rita! You're not allowed to die, wake up!" I look towards the sound.

It's a girl, staring at something from below the ledge. I creep over, and look down. I clench my jaw when I see a mangled body, limbs sprawled out, blood pooling from underneath the head. One of the Dauntless born didn't make it.

I'm shaking when I stand up. The others give her a look of sympathy before swiftly moving on and walking forward. _This is how Dauntless are supposed to act_. I tell myself. _Someone died, okay. Now you need to move on._

I take a deep breath and walk away. John is wearing a horrified expression and is still staring at the body so I place my hand on his shoulder. _"Move on."_ I try to send him the message with my eyes. We grapple for a bit before he sighs in resignation. He clamps his lips together, and we move on.

The Dauntless born initiates seem to have disappeared along with the other Dauntless.   
"Attention!" someone shouts.   
Turning around, I see a man who looks like he's in his early 20's. He has tanned skin, and sports a nose-ring. He is standing on the ledge, and he walks so carefreely, you wouldn't notice that a small misstep could send him falling to his death. He looks at us with a predatory expression.

"You will address me as Seaburry."   
"Now about entering the compound..." he smiles devilishly and steps aside, extending his arm out, as if to say _"here you go, here's your way in."_

"Do we.. jump?" Josy asks, "Is this some sort of test?"

"Is there water at the bottom or something?" a boy from Amity asks.

"Yeah, cause falling into water from this height would totally not kill you, right Charles?" Reynolds rolls his eyes and folds his arms over his chest.

Seabury remains stone faced. "Well, jump, and you'll find out."   
He takes a drill sergeant like stance, hands behind his back, and neck held high."

A few seconds pass, no one knowing what to do. _This is my chance_. I take two deep breaths and walk forward. _I am proud._ This will be my downfall someday, but I am grateful for it as it gives me the strength to step up to the ledge.

I take my Abnegation robe off. I am wearing a loose gray shirt and pants underneath. Reynolds wolf whistles and Charles and Josy follow his lead. "The stiff is showing some skin!" Charles shouts.

I flip them off from behind me, and John and a few other faction transfers chuckle. My knees feel like they're about to give out under me; and my fingers and hands are clammy. I dare to look down. I see a large hole, black enough for me not to see what's below it. Hmm, maybe this was some test to see who was stupid enough to jump.

"Any time now would be nice." Seaburry looks at me with bored eyes.

_Well too late to back out now._

I don't let myself think. With a huff, I hurl myself face first over the ledge.

I don't make a sound. My eyes burn from the wind resistance, and my stomach is in shambles. The hole expands as I draw closer and closer, I feel the wind rush against my face as I struggle to breath. The hole soon engulfs me in total darkness. Shutting my eyes, I clench my teeth and brace myself for the worst.

  
My body slams against something, knocking the wind out of me. My arms and legs sting. When I move them, I feel something stringy.   
A net.   
The realization shakes me and I let out a spiel of manic laughter.   
"Not dead!" I gasp.  
I cover my face with my hands, shaking in hysterical relief. _I just jumped off a fucking roof._

I see some hands reaching up, and I grab at them, rolling off the net. I almost fall face first into the ground, but a pair of strong arms save me from the embarrassment and help me up. My feet wobble at the sensation of solid ground, but I quickly regain my footing.

"You're welcome." I hear someone drawl. I frown and I crane my neck. It was the man who caught me. I raise my eyebrows. He has dark, dark eyes, a sharp jawline and full lips which were contorted into an unsettling smirk.   
He has dark pink–no, _magenta_ eyeliner lining his eyes, applied perfectly with a steady hand, no smudges in sight.

His eyebrows scrunch up and I scold myself for staring. He looks at me expectantly and I realize that he's waiting for me to answer.   
"Uh, thanks I guess," I awkwardly say.   
He rolls his eyes and brushes his palms on his legs. "Name?"

"Alexander Hamilton."

He cocks his head up and gives me a quick once-over before nodding. "First Jumper! Hamilton!"

Cheers erupt from around the room and I feel an arm wrap around me. I turn around to see a girl with flaming red hair wearing black ripped skinny jeans.   
"Damn," she says, "A stiff, the first to jump? Unheard of."   
She gives me a hard clap on the back and I wince, following it up with a smile.  
"There's a million things I haven't done, just you wait. Just you wait."

She raises an eyebrow at me. "Determined huh. I like you." she nods her head in approval. "What do you think? Jefferson?" she asks.

The man, Jefferson, smirks before giving an uninterested laugh, as if I wasn't worth his time. "Lets see how long he lasts Sheila." he says.

I narrow my eyes, and Sheila gives him an exasperated look before walking away.

My eyes adjust to the darkness, and I see a crowd of people pumping their fists and shouting. Another person falls into the net, and his screams follow him down. John.  
They laugh, but cheers follow it, and he rolls off, his eyes alight and full of adrenaline. After a moment, a voice rings through the room. "John Laurens, second jumper." Louder cheers erupt from the crowd and I give John a shout of encouragement.

All the laughter, smiles, and shouts around me make me giddy, and I feel more like myself in every breath I take.  
Jefferson pats me on the shoulder.

  
"Welcome to Dauntless."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jamilton is Endgame ^_^


End file.
